CVS to Carry Discount EpiPen

People that suffer from life-threatening allergies finally have a less expensive alternative to the EpiPen. Last week, CVS announced that they are now carrying an authorized generic version of Adrenaclick, a lesser-known epinephrine delivery product made from Impax Laboratories.

The rising costs of EpiPen

It’s crucial for patients with life-threatening allergies to have access to an injectable form of epinephrine (adrenaline). Thus doctors recommend that children and adults that have severe reactions to things like bee stings, peanuts, and shellfish carry an epinephrine injector on themselves at all times. But rising costs of the EpiPen have made this financially burdening for many families and individuals.

Mylan, the drug manufacturer behind EpiPen, has raised the price of their product by more than 500 percent in recent years via a series of hikes. Last summer, the makers of the epinephrine auto-injector, sent the nation up in arms when they announced that their product would now be a whopping $600 for a two-pack.

Due to customer outrage and the recent grilling of their CEO by Congress, Mylan has taken some steps to discount the price of their drug. They started out by launching a $100 off savings program. And more recently, they kick started an EpiPen copay offer on their website, which allows customers the option of signing up for a “My EpiPen Savings Card.” The discount card gives consumers the ability to purchase an EpiPen or EpiPen Jr two-pack for “up to $300 off” the list price. Per the card’s terms and conditions, the offer is only good for purchases made between now and December 31, 2017. They also announced that they are expanding access to their patient assistance program, which would make the drug available with no out-of-pocket costs, to 400% of the federal poverty line, which equates to an income of $97,200 for a family of four. The company also created a generic version of the EpiPen, which will retail for $300 for a two-pack. But none of that is enough to appease the majority of those that are dependent on the life-saving injector.

CVS offers a new solution

CVS, the nation’s largest drug-store chain, recently issued a press release stating that they are getting in the epinephrine injector game and are bringing an EpiPen competitor to market. They are now offering their customers a generic version of the allergic reaction treatment for $109 for a two-pack, the current lowest cash price in the marketplace.

The drugstore’s version of the auto-injector is a generic of Adrenaclick. The authorized-generic is fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration and per the company’s official website, the generic epinephrine auto-injector is easy to use and contains the same active medicine as EpiPen. The company has released a video on their website that demonstrates the “ABC’s of self-injection” with Adrenaclick.

How to switch from EpiPen to generic Adrenaclick

If you would like to make the switch from EpiPen to Adrenaclick, follow the pharmacy recommended steps below:

First and foremost, speak to your doctor to find out whether the authorized generic for Adrenaclick is a good fit for your specific needs

If you are a good fit for the generic, have your prescriber write you a prescription for an “epinephrine auto-injector,” which will help ensure that the lowest-cost product is filled

If you already have a prescription on file with CVS Pharmacy, ask your pharmacist to check with your prescriber about making the switch from EpiPen to the generic Adrenaclick.

If you prefer to stick with EpiPen, CVS will continue to sell the brand name customers who opt for the brand-name product. But for families that have a hard time forking up the cash to pay for an auto-injector, the new generic Adrenaclick option has the potential to save them hundreds of dollars.